Donor Stories

Cal Poly Humboldt parent Keith Berman had a very straightforward reason to establish a new Cal Poly Humboldt scholarship in 2022: to invest in students who can shape a better future for all of us.

Through a charitable remainder unitrust, a generous planned gift from alumni Mike and Carmen Minch will create lasting support for students in Environmental Resources Engineering and Wildlife, the two programs that helped shape their lives and careers.

Michael Thacher’s $26,000 gift to Cal Poly Humboldt established the Michael Thacher and Rhonda Rundle Experiential Learning Marine Lab Endowment, providing lasting support for student hands-on learning experiences at the Telonicher Marine Lab—including field trips, conference fees, travel, supplies, equipment, services, and field gear.

Julie Fulkerson ('64, German, '75, M.A. Psychology) grew up with Cal Poly Humboldt woven into her daily life. Before she ever enrolled as a student, she attended College Elementary School in what is now Gist Hall, spending her earliest years learning on campus.

Cal Poly Humboldt has received a landmark $3 million commitment from the Campbell Foundation to establish the University’s first fully funded endowed professorship. The Campbell Foundation has specifically designated the funds for the Cannabis Studies program. 

Robert “Bob” Archibald (‘59, Forestry) has gifted $30,000 to establish the Archibald Forestry Pathfinders Scholarship Endowment—creating lasting support for Forestry students and honoring a legacy that began more than 70 years ago at Cal Poly Humboldt.

The impact scholarships make was on full display at the annual Scholarship Reception, held March 19 at Cal Poly Humboldt.

Scott Terrell (‘80, Natural Resources, ‘81, M.A. Education) has gifted two gifts totalling $52,500 to help students build the knowledge, skills, and practices needed to advance sustainability work in their communities and beyond.

David Finkelstein’s (‘86, Computer Information Systems) $10,000 gift to establish the Gigi Finkelstein Scholarship Fund is rooted in gratitude, memory, and a clear-eyed understanding of how fragile a college education can be when money is scarce.

When Kathy Simpson talks about her late husband, Don Berry (‘76, Forestry), there’s a light that rises in her voice, an unmistakable glow of a life deeply loved and profoundly shared. Don was a scientist at heart, and, as Kathy puts it, “He was the funniest, kindest person I ever met. His joy in the natural world was infectious.”

Daniel Walker (‘74, Biology) embodies both gratitude and purpose through his generosity to Cal Poly Humboldt’s Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry.

The Harris family’s philanthropy began, as Jim Harris tells it, around a dining room table.

Cal Poly Humboldt alumni, faculty, staff, parents, community members, and friends came together to provide unprecedented support for students and programs.

For David Tyler (‘83, English, Philosophy), giving back to Cal Poly Humboldt has always been about showing up—consistently, thoughtfully, and with heart.

Karla Darnall (‘78, Speech Pathology and German, ‘80, M.A. Speech Pathology, ‘07, Educational Leadership) and son, Matt Darnall (‘04, Mathematics), on behalf of their family, proudly established the Calvin and Virginia Kernen Family Endowment with a generous gift of $51,000.

For James Floss (‘85, Theatre Arts, ‘91, M.F.A.), education has never been just about checking off required courses—it’s a playground for curiosity and creativity.

Jack and Charlene Liebau have established the Marie Jacobs Liebau, Class of 1929, Endowed Scholarship for Teaching at Cal Poly Humboldt as a testament to their deep commitment to education.

Michael and Mary Lore Brown have made an incredible financial pledge to Cal Poly Humboldt’s School of Engineering’s new Energy Systems Engineering program. Their generous commitment embodies a profound dedication to inspiring education and innovation in renewable energy engineering, a field that has been a lifelong passion for Michael, who attended Humboldt in the late 60s.

At Cal Poly Humboldt, education is a catalyst for change—transforming lives, empowering communities, and fostering opportunities. Embodying this belief, the University introduced the Humboldt First Scholarship five years ago to financially support local students and encourage them to pursue higher education while staying closer to home and connected to their families and communities.

What will your legacy be? There are two primary ways to impact future generations of students at Cal Poly Humboldt: legacy gifts and endowments.

At Cal Poly Humboldt, every gift—whether large or small—has the power to transform a student's life.

Carl “Chip” (‘78, Natural Resources) and Kareen Moriarty-Kalvin (‘99, Liberal Studies, ‘09, M.A. Education) are dedicated to protecting the environment from the impact of climate change. In gratitude

Cal Poly Humboldt’s first comprehensive fundraising campaign has surpassed its goal of at least $50 million, with thousands of people giving at record levels to support dramatic growth in student scholarships and campus programs. The campaign goal was reached more than a year early.

The Cal Poly Humboldt Foundation partnered with the Ceramics Area of the Department of Art + Film’s Ceramics Club of Cal Poly Humboldt to create and produce over 400 Cal Poly Humboldt-inspired ceramic mugs as a unique gift for the University’s most generous recent donors.

When Dr. Kathleen Welsh asked her father, Emeritus Professor of Zoology James F. Welsh, how else she could support Cal Poly Humboldt, he told her to consider the students' hands-on learning